What’s the difference?

If you are like most, you know what crocodiles and alligators are but don’t have any idea of the gap between them or that is which. You may find this interesting.

In The U.S. crocodiles are found in just 1 area — southern Florida. Alligators also make south Florida house but they are available in several different states, though mostly from the southeast. South Florida is the only place known in the world where crocs and gators cohabitate in the same location.

The simplest way to distinguish a gator from a croc is by the colour. Crocodiles will typically have a milder, olive brown color while alligators often have darker, almost black skin. Crocodile pockets will reveal this colour difference by their lighter, almost golden color. Alligators prefer to maintain a freshwater environment while crocs prefer to be in brackish water and occasionally will even venture into the ocean.

While similar in many ways, both of these reptiles are in fact from different families. They both have huge and strong jaws that can do considerable harm.

These are primitive beasts and have existed in the world for some 200 million years and have remained relatively unchanged at that time. It is amazing to realize that in the brief span of one individual’s life these animals were hunted into near extinction. Endangered species legislation helped prevent this from occurring but it’s still an issue in certain areas of the world. Luckily, the American alligator was removed from the endangered species list through conservation efforts. The crocs, however, are still at risk.

There are different ways to tell the difference between crocs and gators, like the way the teeth are organized. When his mouth is totally closed it is still possible to find both rows of a crocodile’s teeth and they interlock with one another perfectly. You can just see the top teeth when an alligator closes his mouth because the reduced set disappears into sockets at the mouth.

The manufacture and sale of accessories made from alligator hide was booming recently. This is partly due to huge farms in Southeast Asia grow these creatures with the goal of earning alligator wallets, belts, shoes and bags.